Lost love
by Millie 1985
Summary: Ryans wife died 5 years ago leaving him to raise their daughter Warning can be a little sad at times but not overly so. R and R please its my first post deadicated to Connor Hi Conz


_Summery: Ryan's wife died 5 years ago leaving him to raise their daughter._

_Rated K (I think I'm new to posting so I hope I remembered that right) Warning: Character death long before the story starts beware it is a little bit sad at times _

_I have been reading fanfiction ever sense we got the internet at our house witch was about 2 years ago(I know we were VERY behind the times) this is the first thing I have been brave enough to post aside from a few reviews. Funny I always thought my first would have some thing to do with CSI NY oh well here I go_

Ryan Evans watched his sleeping daughter with a heavy hart. Today was Annie Evans Birthday, she was 16 today his sister assured him this was a big deal.

He knew that they should both be happy and he knew that later on when his high school friends arrived for her Birthday get together they would both do an excellent job of pretending to be happy. They would laugh and smile and sing just as everyone expected them to, they would appear happy but Ryan couldn't help thinking that on her birthday his daughter shouldn't have to pretend to be happy.

The same thought was running though his head later that day as he watched his little girl again this time she was outside shooting baskets with her uncle Troy while he looked on from the kitchen window.

He never heard Taylor coming up behind him.

"You can go join them if you like I can finish these up for you" she said indicating to the stack of dishes that Ryan ha meant to start half an hour ago before he got caught up in watching Troy and Annie's basket ball game.

Ryan tried to make light of the situation "What? Me? Out there? With them? Are you crazy Tay they would eat me alive, soft ball I can just about manage but basket ball? Never in a million years"

Ryan prided himself on his acting skills but he knew they would not save him now, Taylor like his late wife just knew him to well she saw right through his false mirth to the pain he tried so hard to hide from everyone especially Annie.

Ryan braced himself Taylor was never one to beat about the bush and she obviously wasn't about to start now.

"What do you see when you look at Annie, Ryan?" Taylor asked softly

"You mean who do I see when I look at Annie" Ryan stated in a low whisper "You know who I see Taylor" he continued getting louder and louder until he was almost shouting "I see the same thing you all see I see her, I can't look at Annie with out seeing her, they look so alike it hurts Taylor"

He expected Taylor to back down at his explosion of emotion -though not the ice burg people once thought him to be Ryan Evans was not one to have an emotional brake down in public- however Taylor Danforth was not one to back down particularly not when she felt that one of her friends needed her.

"And when you watch her with Troy what do you see?" Taylor persisted

"I see her and the man that should have been her father" there was no emotion in his voice now just resignation.

Taylor was shocked she couldn't believe what she was hearing but she didn't let it show.

"Why do you think that Ryan?" she asked wondering why she a very highly sort after shrink hand not seen that he needed her help before now.

"You and I both know Taylor that Troy was her first true love even if she would never admit it to me I was just the replacement that got lucky I was never meant to have her or Annie they were meant to belong to Troy"

As he finished specking Ryan looked out at his daughter again just in time to see her make a basket from centre court "You see what I mean?" he said sadly as if it just proved his point and in his head it did.

"Come with me Ryan" said Taylor only managing to keep her clam because years of practice. She led Ryan into his own living room the walls of which were cover with framed photos of the Evans and all there friend and family.

She stood him in front of a snap taken on his wedding day it had been take just as he and his new wife exited the church.

"Look at her Ryan look at how happy she is, you bought her that happiness not Troy"

Ryan looked up at the picture and couldn't help but see the likenesses between his wife and daughter. The same lush dark hair the same bright warm eyes even the same beautiful smiles and Ryan felt a familiar pain wash over him the same pain he had had to live with day and day out for the last 5 years.

Taylor could see she wasn't getting through to him but she knew of one way to drive her point home at least she hoped she did.

"Ryan what is your daughter's name?" she asked

"Annie, Taylor you know her name its Annie" Ryan answers still gazing at the picture on the wall before him.

"No it's not Ryan, what's her real name the name that only her mother ever really used?"

Now Ryan turned to face Taylor before softly saying "Destiny" it was the first time in 5 years that he had spoken his daughters true name the last time he used it he had been telling her that her mother had been killed by a drunk driver.

"Yes Ryan Destiny because she knew" Taylor cried waving her hand at the girl in the picture that he had been memorized by a moment ago, finally letting go of her own emotions

"She knew that the two of you where meant to be and you were meant to have that wonderful little girl that you shared, she was and still is your Destiny Ryan don't you ever forget that because she" panting for breath Taylor pointed to the picture again "She would never forgive you"

Ryan didn't know what he should say so he just pulled Taylor into a hug "Thank you Tay" he managed to say after a few moments they pulled away.

Ryan was just brushing away the few tears that had managed to escape during his hug with Taylor when Annie came in followed by Troy

"Daddy are you alright" she asked him in an unsure little voice that Ryan was going to add to his list of things about her that reminded him of her mother.

"I'm fine princess" he said softly pulling her into a hug "I'm just fine" and for the first time in 5 years he felt like he was answering that question truthfully.

Later that night after everyone had gone home Ryan was sat a the dinning room table writing a letter to Sharpay who was currently in England staring in the west end when Annie came in a sat quietly next to him.

Ryan knew his daughter to well the only time she was this quite was when she wanted some thing and he knew the being quite wouldn't last long.

"Daddy" Annie said in her whinnied I want some thing voice, here we go thought Ryan with a sight "Yes Annie" he wined back at her.

"What was mom like?" this was the last thing Ryan had expected her to come out with.

"Well er" he began "She was em, she was very sweet and kind and gentel but she had the back bone to stand up to your Aunt Sharpay on more than one occasion" he said with a laughed finding his stride discussing his favourite subject the love of his life.

"She was funny and cheerful always the one to try and pick us all up when we were down. she was smart but she would never make a big deal of it, the amount of times I went to her for help because I didn't want the brianiacs among our group of friends to know I was struggling was unbelievable I lost count in the end"

Ryan smiled at his daughter wondering why he had never thought to tell her all of this before but glad he was getting a chance to tell her now.

"She was very beautiful you look just like her my beautiful little princess" Ryan said watching her pale cheeks turn slightly pink ant his complement.

"Your mother would blush to when ever anyone said any thing nice about her or mentioned how talented she was"

"Really?" Annie asked

"Yeah really she was quite shy but she was brave enough to go out there and show the world what she could do, I actually took her always being there for us for granted but then your uncle Troy came along and saw how amazing she was and he made the whole school see it to. Suddenly everyone wanted a peace of her and I was terrified that I would lose her I was sure she was head over heals in love with Troy I mean every girl at east high was why shouldn't she be and how could he not fall for her she was everything that all guys want but don't deserve.

"Wow wow wait a minute" Annie interrupted him "Every girl at east high was in love with uncle Troy" she asked disbelieving

"Yep" Ryan confirmed "some of them still are" he said with a laugh

"You seriously mean EVERY GIRL at your school was in love with uncle Tory"

"Maybe with the exception of your aunt Taylor"

"And mom right" Annie cut in

"Yes and you mom I don't really know how I got lucky enough to end up with her but I did and just decided not to question it. Sure our lives weren't always perfect but we were happy together and we made a beautiful talented smart little girl between us, and I thank who ever it was that sent me both her and you every night because I can't possible imager what my life would be like if it didn't have the two of you in it" he said with a sad smile

"I miss her Daddy" Annie whispered.

Ryan pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her in a big hug

"I know you do princess but she still here with us as long as we remember her" he reassured her

"But my memories are fading Daddy" Annie sobbed into his chest

"Well" he said pulling back a little "We will have to see what we can do about that"

"Thanks daddy you're the best" said Annie pulling away and drying her cheeks on the sleeves of her top

"I do my best" Ryan said in a cocky over confident playful way.

Ryan hugged and kissed Annie good night promising to check on her later that night she had just reached the bottom of the stairs when she turned back to him.

"Daddy I have a confession to make" she said quietly

"And what is that" he asked

"I quit dance class about 4 months go"

"You did" Ryan asked puzzled

"Yes" Annie said taking a deep breath before continuing "And drama class and singing class"

Ryan was getting concerned now "Where have you been going every night after school Annie?" he asked

Annie took another big breath before saying in a rush "I started taking piano lessons I didn't want to tell you in case it up set you"

Relief washed over Ryan she was only taking piano lessons she didn't have a boyfriend yet

"I'm not upset princess I think that's grate"

"You do?" she asked

"Yeah I do"

"Thanks Daddy" Annie said once more before running upstairs to bed, Ryan looked once more a the picture of his beloved wife before heading up himself.

"Our little girl is growing up" he told her "I know she is going to do us both proud but you always knew that didn't you Kelsi" he said with one last smile before falling asleep.

_AN I know the ending is a little weak I was going to end the story with the hug that Ryan and Annie had in the living room and just leave you guessing as to who Ryan's wife was but I love Ryan and Kelsi together so I wanted to clear that up. Please review I am open to anything constructive so give it to me the good the bad and the ugly as long as it constructive please don't just be mean you don't want to see a grown woman cry do you._

_Thanks_

_Millie_


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